Podcasts about persecute

A lecture given at L'Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/ by Ben Keyes Part of the Summer 2025 Theme Weekend, A Hall of Portraits: Imitating Christ by Imitating the Saints.  The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025

Mona and Michael are zealous disciples dedicated to sharing their faith and helping those in need, particularly within their community in Egypt. Mona grew up in a Christian family and found comfort in her faith after a difficult childhood marked by her mother's death. Michael, on the other hand, discovered his faith in Jesus later in life. Together, they felt called to ministry and have committed their lives to sharing the hope and love that can only be found in Jesus. Listen as they talk about Christian persecution faced by believers in Egypt, including discrimination in employment and education. These hardships have led church members to rely on one another. As Mona says, "The church becomes our family. We need each other." Muslims who choose to follow Jesus often face severe persecution from family and community, and at times from the government. They may also face severe pressure from a Muslim spouse. Mona reminds us, though, that Muslims around them are not their enemies. They know that the real enemy is the devil and emphasize that we are called to love others in the same way Christ loved us. Michael and Mona actively support refugees from war-torn countries, including Sudan, providing food and resources regardless of religious background. These acts of care and service often open doors for conversations about faith. Please pray for followers of Jesus in Egypt to remain strong and to be equipped to help those in need. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as give free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Introduction: Leviticus 19:18 – You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:34 – You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. I Love My Enemies... (Matthew 5:43–48) ...because of WHO I AM. (Matt 5:45a) ...by WHAT I DO. (Matt 5:45b) ...because I Am CALLED TO BE DIFFERENT. (Matt 5:46–47) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:43-48What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What does it mean to be persecuted? When Jesus said we must pray for those who persecute us, what / how exactly should we pray?Can you genuinely love your enemy if you don't really feel like it? Why or why not?Explain Romans 12:20. How exactly does loving your enemy lead him to repentance? See also Romans 2:4.What did Jesus mean in verse 48 when He said we “must be perfect”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles to Matthew chapter 5.As we go through our series, the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 5 verse 43, Jesussaid, "You have heard that it was said."Stop there for a second.This whole section that we're in right now, if you've been following this series at all,I'm sure you've noticed that that has come up.What is it like?Six total times pastor?Like, "You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."What Jesus is dealing with here is correcting some garbage beliefs.And I've shared with you before, that's my biggest concern for this church is the areaof discernment.We live in a day that there is so much bad teaching out there.And thanks to the Internet, we have access, right?And look, I'm not saying it's all bad, but I'm saying probably for every good teachingyou can find online, you can probably find ten other garbage teaching online.And my concern for the church is people not knowing the difference.And it gets back to what did Jesus actually say?It's the issue that He was dealing with in His day, lack of discernment.Last week we saw Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, and I for an eye."And Jesus said, "No, no, no, no, no, no."Jesus, as I say to you, I'm paraphrasing, He says, "Do not retaliate."You can walk away from last week's message and say, "Got it.Don't retaliate."So I'm just going to ignore the people that I can't stand.Well, let's keep reading.Verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate yourenemy.'But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."Oh, no, no, don't ignore your enemies.You have to look for ways to be good to them.You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.You're saying that I not only don't get to get even with them, but I have to proactivelylove them?Yeah, that's what He said.All right?It's a hard word.So I think we should just stop and pray right now, shouldn't we?I'm going to ask that you would pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word,accurately and clearly, and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what ourLord is teaching us in this part of His Sermon.All right?So let's pray.Father in heaven, as we go through this sermon from our Lord, it's just wave after wave ofthings that really confront our selfish, sinful, fleshly tendencies.And I don't know of one that's bigger than this one.I'm asking, please God, please, by the power of Your Word, Father, by the power of YourSpirit that You would change our minds today, Father, change our hearts and that we wouldn'tjust leave here knowing some things, but we leave here deeply convicted and moved to dosome things.For Your glory and honor, Father.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said, Amen.All right, let's break this down here.Jesus says in verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighborand hate your enemy.'"You have heard.You have heard.That's what we've seen in this series.The scribes and the Pharisees in Jesus' day did what's still happening today.They twist verses in the Word of God to justify whatever it is they want to justify.For them, Jesus called them out.They were justifying their lust.They were justifying their hatred.They were justifying their getting even with people.He calls them out again.You've heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."That's what the scribes and the Pharisees said.And you're like, "Well, was that in the Old Testament?"Well, the first part was, kind of.Here's what I mean.Here's what's actually in the Scripture.Leviticus 19-18.Look at this."You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but youshall love your neighbor as yourself.I am the Lord."So you see, with the way that they sort of restated that, they ran into four problems.Four problems.The first problem is the scribes and the Pharisees left out the "as yourself" part.Did you notice that?Well, I love my neighbor, but as myself, that's a bit too much.Let's keep it vague.Because if we keep love vague, then whatever we do, we can just say it was love, right?So keep it vague.God never kept it vague.That was their first problem.Second problem is the scribes and the Pharisees redefined neighbor.And their definition of neighbor was, "Those I choose to love."That was their definition.So do you realize...the reason I'm laughing is, do you realize what that made the command?God's command is, "Love those you choose to love."That's convenient.Third problem, the scribes and the Pharisees totally added the "hate your enemy" part,right?Totally added that.You're not going to find that anywhere in the Old Testament.My vague love is for my Jewish neighbors.What about the foreigners?Hate them.And that leads us actually to the fourth problem.Because that whole love your neighbor as yourself, that was in Leviticus 19, 18.But if you go down a few verses to verse 34, it says, "You shall treat the stranger whosojourns with you as the native among you.And you shall love him as yourself."For you are strangers in the land of Egypt.I am the Lord your God.See the scribes and the Pharisees, they thought that they were honoring God by hating foreigners.And we get asked this question a lot."Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."In the Old Testament, didn't God tell the Israelites to exterminate the nations thatwere living in the Promised Land?And don't we have all these imprecatory psalms?Like what's up with that, huh?Well, it's like the eye for an eye thing that we talked about last week.The scribes and the Pharisees took a thing that was designed for Israel as a nation andthey turned it into a personal thing.So the whole exterminate the enemies in the Promised Land.Yeah, absolutely.Israel's wars weren't personal vendettas.They were commanded by God to wipe out those nations because those nations did horriblethings.And God says, "You are not going to pollute my nation Israel."So Israel, you're going to wipe them out.And if you have a hard time with that, I would just like to lovingly remind you that Godis allowed to make those calls because vengeance belongs to Him.Okay?And God's whole purpose in that was to protect Israel as a nation in that land.That's why when you turn to your New Testament, you don't see any imprecatory language inthe New Testament.It's for Israel.And individually, we're talking about personally now, what about the people that hate me?What about the people that are my enemies?Love them.Love them.Look at verse 44, Jesus says, "But I say to you," pretty clear, isn't it?Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.You see the whole loving your neighbor command includes everyone around you, including yourenemy.Now breaking this down, when He talks about enemy, He's talking about your personal enemy.Okay?It's not this collective group idea.It's somebody who personally hates me.And Jesus says our response is to love them.That's the word agape.That is the highest form of love.That's self-sacrificing love.That's the kind of love that we should have for our enemy.And the verb tense here is constant.It's continually.You need to continually love your enemies.And you're like, well, who is my enemy?Who is it that hates you?Who is it that you know that if you tried to call them, they wouldn't answer the phone?If you sent them a text, they wouldn't reply.Or vice versa?Who is it that has been slandering you, making accusations against you?Jesus says we not only love our enemies, but you notice He ratchets it up even more whenHe says pray for those who persecute you.Those who persecute you.Those are your worst enemies.Where Jesus is speaking about your enemies who they don't just hate you.They actively hate you.These are the people that make an effort to show you how much they hate you.And as we've been going through the Sermon on the Mount, we see that a true believerin Jesus Christ is someone who is defined by the Beatitudes.And if you were here for the Beatitudes here, do you remember what the last one was?The highest rung on the ladder of following Jesus Christ is when we're persecuted.And here's the part where we stop and ask, are we persecuted?Are we really persecuted?Because here's the thing.I think for a lot of us our knee-jerk reaction to that would be I'm not persecuted, but thereality is you probably are.But you just haven't realized it.Here's what I mean by that.Here's what I mean.Persecute doesn't just mean somebody physically attacks you.Somebody murders you.Somebody gets you arrested, thrown in jail.Yes, that is persecution, but those are the most graphic manifestations of persecution.The word "persecute" literally means to pursue.That's what it means.And listen, listen to this.Persecute means somebody is chasing after you to constantly criticize and condemn you.So I imagine most of you are being persecuted right now according to the true definitionof persecution.Think about it this way.Was Jesus persecuted?If you're like, "Oh yeah, when He was crucified."Of course!But He was persecuted His entire ministry because what were they constantly doing?The proper definition.They were constantly - read the Gospels.They were constantly pursuing Jesus.They were - how would we say it?They were out to get Him.That's what persecution means.I mean, read your Gospels.They were constantly looking to criticize Jesus and assaulting Jesus, accusing Jesus."You did this in the Sabbath and you shouldn't be doing healing this way and your disciplesdidn't wash your hands and what's up with the fasting?"They were constantly, constantly, constantly after Him.That's what persecution means.And if you really follow Jesus, you have people pursuing you in that way too.Don't shout out any names.But do you have somebody at your workplace, for example, that's always watching you,always looking to get their little remarks in, get their little digs in,always looking to criticize anything you say or anything you do.That's persecution according to the proper definition.They're pursuing you.Maybe you have that family member.Never approves of a thing you do.The bum just can't do anything right and they're always vocal about it.Getting their little shots in, their little passive aggressive comments, they're alwaysout to get you.That's persecution.Maybe it's on social media.You know anything you post.You know that person is going to show up with their snarky little comment.That's pursuing.That's persecution.Jesus says we need to pray for the people to do that to us.The people that are out to get you.Jesus said pray for them.So when was the last time you did that?I don't know about you but I have a list of people that I regularly pray for.When was the last time that you loved your enemy?And you're like, why in the world would I do that?Well let's keep reading.Jesus says in verse 45, "So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."Why would you love your enemy?Why would you pray for people that are constantly out to get you?It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.That's the sermon that our Lord gives.That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.We just confess that so much of our lives, our attitudes, our moods are determined byother people, good or bad.People have a way of just like governing our lives.Here's what I mean.Your service, you go over to a giant eagle and you run into an old friend that you haven'tseen in years."Oh, that puts you in a good mood.Oh, it was so great catching up."That's going to put you in a good mood for the rest of the day, right?Or somebody makes a really jerky comment to you at work intentionally wanting to getunder your skin.Then that's just like wreck your day and you're in a bad mood for days over one jerky comment.And I would bet if you had a bad day last week, if you could point to a day last weekor like, "Oh, that was a bad day," I would be willing to bet that it had something todo with people.You're laughing because it's true.And Jesus here is saying, "My people don't react to people.My people act according to the Word of God."So let's unpack this for a few moments, shall we?When you're outlining, I want you to jot some things down.I love my enemies.Can you say that?You're like, "Not now."You will in a few minutes.I love my enemies.Number one, we already touched on this.We're going to drill a little deeper here.Number one, I love my enemies because of who I am.Look at this again.This is Jesus' whole rationale.Why would I love my enemies, Jesus?Lord, why would I pray for the people that are constantly out to get me?So that You may be sons of Your Father who is in heaven.This is where Jesus starts Your identity.You love Your enemies not because of who they are, but because of who You are.Jesus is in essence saying, "You love Your enemies because..."It's a family tradition in our family.You have family traditions.You have family traditions.You know what I mean?Every family has on brand things that they do, right?Like some families, they're like, "We're campers.We go camping."Yes, we have a house, but for a while we like to pretend that we don't.That's just what we do in our family.We live in a canvas enclosure in the wildlife.Okay, but that's your family thing.For some families, it's like, "We're beach people.We love the beach."Our family loves the beach.We love the beach.That's our family thing, right?Some families are sports families like, "Oh, we're baseball.We're a baseball family.We love the box and we're on the church softball team."And we're like, "We love baseball."Every family's got their thing, right?I mean, I remember growing up, our family.Our family had our thing.I remember when we were teenagers, Aaron actually came over to our house for Thanksgiving.And they had the stuffing out and the turkey and all the dressing and all that stuff.And I just remember our family was passing around the table a bag of funyons.And I just remember Aaron sitting there going, she looked like she saw a ghost.I'm like, "What's the matter?"She goes, "Why are you passing around a bag of funyons?It's Thanksgiving."And I'm just like, "What's Thanksgiving without funyons?"Like, "We're not the weird ones here."And then I got older and realized that we were.Every family's got their thing.That's what Jesus is saying here.Like, "Hey, hey, hey, we're in God's family."He said, "You know what we do in God's family?Do you know what we do?We love like God."And God loves His enemies.You're like, "Who are God's enemies?"Everyone.Do you realize that?Literally every single person on the planet is an enemy of God until they are reconciledto God in Jesus Christ.That's what Paul said in Romans 5, right?"If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son."See that's the glorious reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.When you receive Jesus Christ by faith, when you believe that He died to take away yoursin, when you believe that He rose from the dead to give you eternal life, when you turnfrom your sin and receive Him, God changes you from an enemy of God to a child of God.And now we are a child still living among enemies of God, child of God.Ephesians 4, spilling over to Ephesians 5, says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children."This is what we do in our family.We love like God.And as His children, we imitate our dad.Do you ever notice that kids love to imitate?Do you ever notice that?Kids loved to imitate adults.It was made painfully aware to me, oh, many, many years ago, a couple decades ago at thispoint we had foster kids.Before we had any of our own kids, we had foster kids.And I remember, one little boy, he was five years old, his name was Walter, and we'd beplaying the PlayStation.We were sitting there, playing the PlayStation, and look, I was a perfect gamer back in theday.But sometimes the stupid game would glitch or something, and my guy would get killed.And when that happened, I remember I'd put the controller down, and I'd be like, "Oh,for Pete's sake!"Well Walter would be playing video games with me, and I remember he'd be playing a videogame, and he'd just randomly throw his controller down and go, "Your pee stinks!"Like no, no, no, no, no, no.No, it's for Pete's sake.But he was...It never clicked with him.He was constantly commenting on the smell of urine.Your pee stinks.Why did he do that?He was just imitating me.Right?Kids love to do that.And as a child of God, we naturally, we supernaturally want to imitate him.So when that guy at work is constantly out to get you, and you love him, and you repayhis nastiness with kindness, and then somebody else comes in and says, "Well, what are youdoing?You love that guy?That guy's a real jerk to you!"And your response says, "Yeah, I get that from my dad."You see, I see people as dad-season.Lost.Blind.Slave to sin.Heading to hell.You know what my heavenly dad taught me?He taught me that I don't need to retaliate.And my heavenly father taught me I don't need to ignore them.My heavenly father taught me that people like that need compassion.And I know right now somebody's thinking, "Yeah, I love your enemies.I see it.I hear it.Pastor Jeff, you don't know what this person said to me.You don't know the horrible things that they said to my face.You don't know the horrible things they said behind my back.Pastor Jeff, you don't know this person for years has been just out to get me."Look.You're right.They don't deserve it.You're right.They've been miserable.But you, you love them not because of who they are, but because of who you are.You're a child of God.And your heavenly father, he loves his enemies.Right?So I love my enemies because of who I am.Secondly, number two, write this one down.I love my enemies by what I do.I love my enemies by what I do.And you might be sitting here going, "Ah, yeah, this love your enemy thing.I ain't feeling it.I ain't feeling it."And I would say, "That's okay.You don't have to feel it."But you do have to do it.Because look, when the Bible talks about love, agape love, it's not an emotion.Listen, you don't have to like them.But you do have to love them.And biblically, love is an action.Here's what I mean.Love is an action.First, John 5.3 says, "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments."Jesus said the same thing.What is it?John 14, 15.Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."John 15, Jesus said, "Abiding in Him is keeping His commandments."Notice the Bible never calls us to stir up some kind of emotion.Loving God is a choice.And yes, we worship God with our emotions in song and worship, yes, but that is thefruit of a choice to love God.The proof that you love God isn't based on your feelings.The proof that you love God according to our Lord is based on your actions.And listen, church, love works the same way with your enemies.You are not called to love your enemies by conjuring up gushy feelings.You're called to love them by your actions.You're called to love them by actively blessing them.Why?Because that's what God does.Look at verse 45, the rest of it.He says, "For He makes His Son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on thejust and on the unjust."God is so kind to sinners.Did you ever stop and think about that?Have you ever stopped to just marvel at the glorious truth that somebody can live theirentire life and completely ignore God?And they can still have a pretty good life on the earth.Isn't that astounding?Isn't it amazing that somebody can live their entire life hating God, speaking against God,speaking against God's people, speaking against God's truth.They can live their whole life and do that, and they can still have a good life on theearth.In God's kindness, He still lets them have sun and rain and a million other good things.You can hate God, still have food and friends and laughter and family and health.And yeah, the heart hearted may refuse to be thankful or acknowledge this, but regardless,God does it anyways.God's kindness says little about them, but it says much about Him.And Jesus says, "Take note, children of God, you show love for your enemies by what youdo for them.You show love for enemies by actively seeking their good."Like, well, what does that look like, Pastor Jeff?What does that look like?Okay, so you've got a nasty, older family member who's always hated you.Go do your yard work.You got a jerk co-worker always looking to get their little shots in on you?Look for ways to sincerely and genuinely compliment their work.You got a nasty neighbor?Find out what they like and treat them.Hey, I saw your garden, and the other day I was at the store and I saw that there wasthis magazine about gardening, and I picked it up for you.I thought you might be interested.I don't know.Just get on your face and ask God to show you how you can show kindness to your enemy.Romans 12.20, Paul quotes from Proverbs 25.He says if your enemy is hungry, feed them.If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.For by so doing, you will heat burning coals on his head.When I was a young Christian, when I read this, I had this idea that if you do goodto people that aren't good to you, like if you meet their needs, they're going to havethis like mini Sodom and Gomorrah experience on their head.Like I'm going to be nice to you, and it's going to rain lava on your head.I'm burning!Like that will show them.And then I learned that that's not what that means at all.It was actually an Egyptian symbol that they would put hot coals in an insulated pot andcarried around on their head.It was a sign of repentance.See, Israel had the sackcloth and ashes.Israel had the pot of coals on their head.And that's what God's Word is driving us to.Because no one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian matched their pettiness.No one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian just flat-out ignored them.It's kindness that leads to repentance according to Romans 2-4.Show love to them.Actively show love to them.Why would I do that?Because it's not about who they are.It's about who you are.And one more.I love my enemies because of who I am by what I do.In Romans 2-3 we get to another because I love my enemies because I'm called to be different.Look at verses 46 and 47.Jesus says, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?Do not even the tax collectors do the same?And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doingthan others?Do not even the Gentiles do the same?Stop there.If you're like, "You know what?I love the people that I like.I love the people that I like."Well, then you do what people who don't even know Jesus do.And our Lord here is saying, "What's so special about that?"Oh, so you think you're great because you do what's normal.Well hang on a second.Let me shine up your participation trophy.Why is it that we want applause for doing what's expected?Here's an example.Well Aaron and I, we always look at each other and kind of laugh.When we hear a dad say, "Yeah, I had a baby sit my kids last Monday."Do you hear somebody say that?You're not going to say it anymore.I had a baby sit my kids last Monday.I believe that's called being a father.You didn't baby sit your kids.What did your wife pay you $10 an hour?Like look, I'm not giving you a cookie because you did what was expected.That's what our Lord is saying here.You're expected to be different because Christians have something that no one else in the worldhas.Do you know what that is?Like the Bible?Not everybody has that.Like compassion?No, a lot of people have that.Christians have something that nobody else in the world has.You know what that is?God living in them.In other words, you should be different.I mean, anybody can go one mile.That was the law.That's expected.Anyone can give up a shirt that they lost legally in a lawsuit.That's expected.And here our Lord is saying, "Anybody can say hi to their friends."That's expected.But God expects and empowers us to do more, to be like Him.So do you do what the world expects?Or do you do what God expects because God's called you to be different than the world?Do you have a heart like God?We'll find out.We'll find out because it's revealed not in how you treat your friends, it's revealedin how you treat your enemies.You love them.Not because of who they are, but because of who you are.Oh yeah, there's one more verse.One of the most deeply convicting and challenging verses in the whole Bible.Jesus says, "You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."In the context of this teaching, obviously, he's talking about the way we love, right?You must love perfectly the way your heavenly Father loves perfectly.That's what Jesus is saying here.And look, you and I, we look at that verse and we say, "I failed.I failed."We all have.And actually, remembering the beatitudes, step one and two of the beatitudes was recognizingthat you failed.And you're like, "Man, I'll never be perfect."But God says you must be perfect.You know what that means?It means I always have room to grow.And today we're talking about loving your enemies.And maybe right now you're saying, "You know, I knew that.I knew that, but today I'm encountered by this calling in a fresh way and I realizenow I need to grow.I want to grow in this area."It's grace.It's grace.God has made us perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ.God has adopted us as His children, and He is constantly changing us.We don't deserve anything, but God has given us everything, even though we were His enemies.It's grace.You get that?Then like your Father, give it.In just a moment, we're going to be gathering around the Lord's table as a church.And it is the Lord's table that reminds us that we are grace people.Because in essence, what we are remembering, what we are celebrating, what we are declaringwhen we take the Lord's supper together is the Lord is saying, "I saved you."Not because of who you are, but because of who I am.

After working in South Asia and living in Nepal for 18 years, Matthew Hanson has taken on leadership of The Voice of the Martyrs international ministry efforts on a new region: West and Central Africa (WACA). Listen as he tells how the persecution of Christians looks different in Africa from South Asia. The church in Africa is large; attacks on Christians there often affect a larger scale. Radical Islamist groups are the main persecutors in his region, and Matthew will share how it's affecting believers in his region, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria and Togo. Just in the DRC, there are 100+ active rebel groups. Church attacks and the displacement of followers of Christ has become sadly common. How does The Voice of the Martyrs respond to the intense persecution Christians in his region are facing? Listen as Matthew explains how he and his team evaluate needs and work through partnerships and local believers to help meet those needs and encourage believers. Matthew will share about the ministry of presence and how it plays such a key part of helping with trauma recovery for persecuted Christians. As Islamist groups move into places like northern Togo, a new addition to VOM's Global Prayer Map, Matthew and his team are hearing new reports of persecution and needs that VOM can help to meet. “The church does an incredible job of serving one another,” Matthew says, “it's a community of believers coming together, and it's really exciting.” Hear stories from Matthew about a woman's joy when she received a Bible provided by VOM, the holy moment when eight new believers from Muslim backgrounds took the step of baptism, and the story of a kidnapped Christian miraculously saved from a jihadist group. Please pray for persecuted Christians in West and Central Africa. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

I. The grace of God they are rejecting, v34. II. The guilt of sin they are accumulating, vv34-35. III. The generational attitude and judgment in which they are participating, v35-36.

Nik Ripken and his wife, Ruth, spent decades sitting down with hundreds of persecuted Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world. They didn't go to instruct these bold believers. They went to learn from them. The lessons they learned were published in The Insanity of God, Nik's book, and now he and Ruth have created a video series called Insanity Unleashed. In this series, they share lessons from believers in persecution to help Christians everywhere know how to live as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). The lessons come from more than 650 interviews with persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries. Listen this week to hear stories from Nik and Ruth about their travels and what they've learned from persecuted Christians. They'll share how meeting believers in other countries gave them a better understanding of the Biblical truth that we are all part of one global Body of Christ. Nik and Ruth have been humbled by the fervent prayers of brothers and sisters around the world as they pray for Christians in free nations. Nik will explain how this video series has the aim of raising up evangelists and church planters who will go to the unreached, rather than only pastors and teachers who are trained to minister to those who've already heard the gospel. “[Many American seminaries and Bible colleges] train you up to be sheep among sheep,” Nik says. “We are teaching [Christians] how to be sheep among wolves.” Ruth and Nik also share advice on succeeding in the marathon of ministry, including the importance of daily time in God's Word and memorizing scripture—just as our persecuted family does as they prepare for persecution. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

In April, we asked VOM Radio listeners to sponsor Bible delivery to Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas. This week, Ty Scott, VOM's Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa, tells us about the work and effort involved in actually placing Bibles into the hands of Christians living in cities and villages in Sudan, Tanzania, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Statistically, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania are majority-Christian nations. Yet each has communities where almost every person is a Muslim. How is the gospel spreading in such places? And how are new followers of Christ treated by their families and the wider Islamic community? Ty will share about family persecution in Comoros, a country we've never discussed on VOM Radio, where Christians comprise only tenths of a percent of the population. Listen as Ty and VOM Radio Host, Todd Nettleton, discuss places where ethnic identity and Islam are completely intertwined. As gospel workers share the hope of Christ in those places, they don't ask people to leave their ethnicity but to fulfill what God would have them be. Hear the amazing testimony of a young man who brought his father, an imam (Islamic prayer leader), to faith in Christ, and how the gospel brought many into Christ's kingdom through his father's witness. Ty will also share specific ways you can pray for Christians in eastern and southern Africa. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

In a community-based culture like Afghanistan, it's difficult to hide one's faith. When an Afghan commits to following Christ, it's not long until those around him or her notice a difference. This creates an opportunity for gospel witness. Or for Christian persecution. Author John Weaver, long-time gospel worker in Afghanistan, joins VOM Radio this week to update listeners on that nation and how Christians are faring since the Taliban retook control of the government in 2021. John explains how a new Christian's family and tribal background often influence what type of persecution they face, and how their persecutors may come from multiple levels: their own family members, tribal leaders and/or the Taliban government. Despite these challenges for believers, ministry, evangelism and discipleship are still happening in Afghanistan—and among Afghans all around the world. Through careful, prayerful conversations Afghan Christians are planting gospel seeds, always aware that every person they share with could become their brother in Christ, or their persecutor. Pray Afghan Christians have wisdom and discernment about these conversations and whom they can trust to share their love for Jesus. You can learn about John Weaver's work in Afghanistan by reading his books, Inside Afghanistan and A Flame on the Front Line. Listen for ways you can pray specifically for Afghan Christians and their persecutors. Hear John Weaver's previous conversations with VOM Radio by visiting www.vomradio.net/weaver. John also wrote a book about meeting his wife in Afghanistan and their Afghan Christian wedding in Najiba: A Love Story From Afghanistan. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 4-6 & Luke 24:26-53

Israeli soldiers have been harassing a Palestinian activist who appeared in Louis Theroux's recent documentary The Settlers to talk about Israel's apartheid abuses in the occupied West Bank. Issa Amro shared footage of IDF troops raiding his home over the weekend, days after Theroux's film debuted on the BBC. Israelis not only murder journalists, attack journalistic institutions and block journalists from entering the Gaza Strip, they also persecute Palestinian civilians who speak with journalists. Reading by Tim Foley.

After three churches were burned and 5,000 Christian books destroyed in a nation where Christians are persecuted, the local pastor's response was unexpected. “They burned it. That means we are going to have new pastors!” he said. “Now, will you send us more books?” Dr. Gary Seevers, President of Global University, leads a worldwide ministry that offers training focused on evangelism, discipleship, graduate and doctoral study programs, serving more than 3,000,000 people worldwide in 140 languages. Included in those numbers are persecuted pastors and other Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas. Sometimes instruction must be kept secret in places where persecution comes from the government, radical groups or even a Christian's own family members. Seevers says the goal of GU is not only book knowledge, but the ability to use that knowledge in practical ministry. A vital part of the coursework involves students taking a principle from the course and applying it within their community to serve the church and spread the gospel. Global University students and graduates have been martyred for their ministry work, standing firm in their faith in Christ despite threats and violence. Persecution has accelerated the growth of the church globally and will continue to do so, Dr. Seevers says. Pray for the ministry of Global University to continue to train and serve pastors and Christian leaders worldwide and for Christians persecuted for their faith to be bold witnesses who reach their communities—and even their persecutors—for Jesus. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Richard Wurmbrand, author of Tortured for Christ and cofounder of The Voice of the Martyrs, said, “When I was beaten on the bottom of my feet, my tongue cried out.” His words echo those of the Apostle Paul: “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Listen this week as Jonathan Ekman, VOM's Director of Global Partnerships, shares what it means to remember those who are persecuted and to tangibly assist brothers and sisters in more than 70 countries around the world. Jonathan will talk about developing and strengthening partnerships with church groups and mission organizations to enable VOM to come alongside the body of Christ in their times of suffering. Jonathan will also talk about his own crisis management experience and lessons he's learned—lessons he now uses to bless other ministries who may face the kidnapping of a missionary or the murder of a gospel worker. Last year, VOM provided tangible help to more than 4,000,000 Christians around the world. Much of that help was delivered through partnerships with local church leaders, international mission organizations and other groups. These partnerships are a key part of VOM serving persecuted Christians—and reflect what it means to be part of the Body of Christ. Jonathan will also share specific ways you can pray. You are invited to stand with persecuted Christians by supporting the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. You can give online here. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

With a passion for serving and growing the local church, particularly in areas where it's difficult to train and raise up leaders, Dr. Michael Reeves, President of Union School of Theology (Wales), explains how UST trains pastors and leaders in the church worldwide—including pastors for churches in hostile areas and restricted nations. Listen as Dr. Reeves explains the importance of the education to equip church leaders to know God, love and adore Him and His ways, and know the gospel so they may effectively preach it. This training, and the deep knowledge of God is fosters, helps pastors withstand persecution when it comes. Dr. Reeves will also share about his own missions experience living on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the lessons he learned living in a Muslim culture and seeing how Christians were treated—and how they responded. “You become like the God you worship,” Reeves says. “When believers only have Christ—and not other substitutes for Him—it seems that they're able to taste of that joy more deeply. He'll also share thoughts on how each of us can nurture our own prayer life. Pray for believers to have a deeper knowledge of God and be inspired by the testimonies of persecuted Christians, which display beautiful evidence of the power of the gospel. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Doug Clay and Sam Brownback work in very different arenas. But both have a heart to serve Christians around the world. Doug Clay, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God - USA, shares about the genesis of the AG church and their current goal to put a church within walking distance of all humanity—including people living in hostile areas and restricted nations. “The finishing of the Great Commission is doable in our lifetime,” Clay says. Clay will share three ways to pray for your pastor and how he works to help the church equip the saints to have a biblical worldview and to endure. Seeing the church as the expansion of God's Kingdom, Doug knows it's crucial to encourage and pray for your pastor and for church leaders around the world. Sam Brownback served as United States Ambassador for International Religious Freedom during the first Trump administration. He has worked for decades to defend religious liberty in nations hostile to Christian teaching. Brownback will share from his experiences meeting with leaders of foreign nations, including one conversation that led directly to the release of a Christian pastor from prison. He'll also share how a formerly imprisoned Christian in Saudi Arabia encouraged him to continue in the work God called him to, and how raising religious freedom issues with your elected officials can be a practical way to serve persecuted brothers and sisters. Currently, Brownback is working on a book about persecution in China. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Last week, Brother Nathan, a gospel worker in the Middle East, shared his testimony and how his gospel work in the Middle East led to his arrest. This week on VOM Radio, we'll hear more about his time in prison and how the Lord opened the prison doors for release. Listen to hear how Nathan's wife left the country—with their two young children—not knowing when or if she would see her husband again. Nathan will also share what a powerful difference it made for him to have fellow Christian believers by his side in prison. Nathan says it was such a gift to go through this suffering with other believers rather than alone and shares how one of those believers encouraged him not to let prison quench the evangelistic fire that burned inside him to share the gospel with Muslims. He also tells the story of how God revealed the exact number of days he and his friends would be in prison—and how he's seen seeds planted in prison produce gospel fruit in a very closed country since his release. Learn how you can pray specifically for Nathan and his family, as well as Christians in the Middle East, as they face persecution. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Nigeria, China and other nations throughout the year. The app also gives you free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Brother Nathan had a ministry sharing the gospel and praying with Muslims in the Middle East. He and other believers had been evangelizing for more than eight years. The responses were almost completely positive. Then, as he was ministering with two others last year, they ran into a very different response. Nathan and his two friends found themselves in a police office, their hands behind their backs, facing a serious charge of “heralding Christianity.” Nathan's missionary journey started long before his arrest. At 19, Nathan joined YWAM to experience short-term mission work after deciding to give his entire life to be used by the Lord—wherever He asked Nathan to go. Nathan will share how Peter's choice to step out of the boat on the water with Jesus inspired him to be all in with Christ. As a young man and zealous missionary, Nathan didn't think much about the risk of Christian persecution—until it happened. Nathan will share advice and encouragement to future missionaries and describe his missionary work each day in the Middle East. “Muslims are hungry for prayer,” Nathan shares. “They are real people with real issues who long for prayer.” Nathan had many opportunities to pray healing over Muslims and see the Lord at work. Listen as he tells the story of his arrest and what he felt when as he realized he could be facing years in prison. Nathan will also share how the Lord relieved fear and anxiety when they took their prison bread and the water and turned it into a remembrance of Christ's suffering. Since they didn't have a Bible, the scripture they knew in their heart was all they had to hold onto during their worship and prayers to the Lord in prison. Join us next week to hear more of Nathan's experience in prison and how it became their mission field for Christ! The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Nik and Ruth Ripken went to Africa as missionaries. They experienced great works of God, but also great hardship and loss. Malaria almost killed them. Four Christian friends in Somalia were killed in one day. Their 16-year-old son died suddenly.  Out of their wrestling with grief and loss God gave them a new mission: meet with persecuted Christians all over the world and learn from them. For Nik, it was a very personal quest. “I don't know if Jesus is trustworthy anymore. Somali believers are dead. Our son is dead. Our dreams are dead. And we want to know, Is Jesus for the tough places?” Out of their quest Nik Ripken Ministries was born. Nik shared the lessons persecuted Christians had taught him in a book, The Insanity of God. The book eventually became a film, released shortly after this interview was recorded. Today, Nik and Ruth host their own podcast, Witness & Persecution, and have recently launched a video-based group study, Insanity Unleashed. Listen as Nik and Ruth share their stories of God calling them to missions from very different backgrounds, and the hardship and loss they experienced on the field in Africa as missionaries. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Homily of Fr. Michael P. O'Connor from Mass on March 15, 2025 at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis, MS. Referenced Readings: Dt 26:16-19 Mt 5:43-48 If you would like to donate to OLG and her livestream ministry, please go to https://olgchurch.net/give

Bless those who persecute you by Kenilworth Union Church

Andrew Ginsberg has been the president of Operation Mobilization USA for the last six months, stepping into the role and following in the footsteps of George Verwer, founder of OM (and past VOM Radio guest). Coming from a Jewish upbringing, Andrew tells the story of the nine-year path that led him to following Jesus—and then his eventual route into full-time ministry. Andrew shares three things the Lord taught him in the 18 months before he took over the presidency of OM-USA, preparing him to lead OM through this season. He also talks about the weight of leadership when sending gospel workers to places where their lives are at risk due to Christian persecution. Andrew is reminded that it's his job to inform, not to stop people from being a witness for Christ. “It's very easy to give up control, hold my hands up, and let the Lord do the work,” Andrew says, “The gospel moves in our presence but not because of our presence.” Andrew will also share the story of one witness in Sudan, and how OM-USA is using social media to reach individuals willing to be disciple-makers. His greatest joy is to see others called to go and spread the gospel to the unreached parts of the world. Pray that the Lord would call more laborers into the harvest and that the gospel wildfire would continue to spread in closed nations. OM co-founder Dale Rhoton has also been a guest on VOM Radio. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Do you believe the Lord brought them to us so they can hear the gospel?” The question was asked by a pastor in Aleppo, the war-torn city in Syria. Members of the Islamist group that would soon control the country were standing in front of his home, machine guns in hand. “That's a Kingdom-minded church!” says John Samara, a Christian from Syria and the founder and leader of Ananias House, a ministry reaching people with the love of Christ in Syria, the Middle East and North Africa. Samara has seen God answer prayers for revival during the last 12 years of civil war in Syria. Yet he also sees more Christian persecution coming as more Muslims come to know Jesus—and as the new regime in Syria tightens it's control over the country. While the new government—which overthrew the longstanding Assad regime late last year—publicly says they want more religious freedom and will make a place for religious minority groups, what's happening on the ground isn't matching their lofty words. “We're looking at potential genocide against Christians in Syria,” says John. The new government grew out of a group that formerly claimed allegiance to Al Qaeda and ISIS. John will also discuss his new book, The Victor's Crown of Glory, living as a persecuted Christian in the Middle East, and seeing his father deal courageously with constant interrogation and interference from the secret police. Order a copy of John's book today to read amazing stories of God at work and learn how the Spirit of God speaks through us, even in times of great fear! John spoke during The Voice of the Martyrs' I AM N Virtual Event. You can still access this powerful event online to hear stories of faith and courage in the shadow of radical Islam. Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria to stand firm in their faith amidst rising Christian persecution. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Nick Pitts of the Institute for Cultural Engagement draws our attention to the recent beheading of 70 Christians by Islamic militants in the Congo.  While yes, we want justice.  We also need to pray for those who persecute our brothers and sisters.  Philos Project's Luke Moon updates us on the hostage for prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas,  and tensions in the West Bank.  Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here  

Dozens of foreign Christians have been quietly forced out of Türkiye in recent years. After moving his family to Türkiye (formerly Turkey) in 2001, Jerry Mattix served in aid ministry and as a pastor. Last month he was told he is no longer allowed to enter the country—even for short visits. Jerry and his wife grew up in missionary families with hearts for missions. During his first semester in Bible school, God grabbed Jerry's heart for the Kurdish people in Türkiye, one of the largest unreached people groups in the world. Listen to hear how Jerry and his wife started ministry together in Türkiye, and the story of Jerry's first expulsion from the country in 2013, when he was labeled a “threat to national security.” Türkiye was founded as a secular republic, but in recent years government leaders have grown more open about favoring Islam. Jerry fought his first expulsion in court, and judges ruled in his favor, allowing him to reenter the country in 2016—but not to live there. Jerry and his family planted new roots in North Cyprus. They have seen the Lord's hand at work despite their family's upheaval. Following the massive earthquake on February 6th, 2023, Jerry made repeated trips to Türkiye to partner with local pastors and lead international Christians in to serve in relief work. Listen as Jerry explains the government's decision to remove foreign Christians from Türkiye and hear how the local church has “grown legs” to carry forward the ministry as foreign workers are being forced out of the country. “We're not praying for peace and prosperity, or for Christian persecution;” Jerry says, “We are praying for the kingdom of Christ to grow and thrive—whatever it takes.” Pray for Jerry and other foreign Christians who have been kicked out of Türkiye and for believers in Türkiye to continue in the ministry God has called them to. Listen to more stories from Türkiye on VOM Radio with Joy Subasiguller, Andrew Brunson, and David Byle. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Four in 10 people on earth have never heard the name of Jesus. Brother Harold, a gospel worker for 15 years among Muslims in Central Asia, joins VOM Radio this week to share what he's seen and learned during seven years mobilizing missionaries to go into all the world. Harold will share how his own daughter was called to full-time missions and offer advice and encouragement to parents sending out their sons and daughters to be gospel workers, knowing that some will never come back. “There are about 450,000 Christian missionaries worldwide,” Harold says, “but only 15,000 go to the unreached, to the 3.4 billion unreached people.” Today Latin American and African churches are on fire for Christ, sending out the greatest number of missionaries to the world. How can the church in North America come alongside these willing workers? Listen as Brother Harold encourages local pastors to be involved and supportive of missions in their congregations, including practical advice to pastors. He will also encourage those of every age to be involved in missions and share the benefits of attending the Perspectives course that helps all believers understand their roles in the Great Commission. Harold also shares a recent experience where he was convicted by God in a taxicab. Pray for unreached people groups to hear the gospel and for missionaries to be sent into the harvest fields. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Blessing: In the night season, the devils of the night will join forces against you, your family, and your wealth. Will you be a victim? They will Persecute you while you sleep. Will you be a victim? They will feed you pretty Cakes called Confusion. Will you be eating it? Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way

With the call to invest his life in ways that will outlive him for eternity, Pastor Bennie, a ministry leader working in ten different nations in Asia and Africa, desires to finish well—just as he saw his parents do. His passion is discipleship for young people to raise up Daniels and Timothys who will use their voices for Christ. Pastor Bennie has his own story of watching his father praising God while being beaten by militants. At the age of six, Bennie asked, “Why can't my dad protect me?” Working with young people today, he hears similar questions like, “Why is my father serving God in prison? What was his crime?” Listen as Bennie shares about gospel work in Sierra Leone, bringing medical teams to serve people who have never seen a doctor, and discipling the hearts of former Muslims growing into evangelists, pastors and church leaders. “Our job is to saturate them with the gospel,” Bennie said. He even distributes Bibles to Muslim students, knowing that God's Word will produce fruit. You'll learn more about Alpha Ministries' discipleship program for young people and what happened when Bennie asked, “How many of you have gone through persecution?” He will talk about serving and praying for persecuted Christians in Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and other nations. As Bennie meets with young, persecuted Christians, he is challenged as he hears their stories of persecution and suffering, yet encouraged by the faithfulness they exemplify despite imprisonment, rejection, and other abuse. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

Acts 7:44-60 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen.45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David,46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 49 “‘Heaven is my throne,     and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,     or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?' 51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.   Key Words: Tent, Dwelling, House, Resist, Holy Spirit, Ear, Persecute, See Keystone Verse: But [Stephen], full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55)   Download Bulletin

In the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party, loving Jesus makes Christians “unpatriotic.” Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, explains: “[The communists believe] you cannot love your country and love Jesus.” Absolute government control of churches and other religious institutions continues to tighten in China as persecuted Christians are unwilling to comply with the doctrines of the Communist Party, which is expanding efforts to “Sinicize” the church. Listen to hear how pastors and church leaders are now being charged with fraud or other financial crimes, rather than charges relating to religion. Bob Fu, author of God's Double Agent, will also share an update on John Cao, who was released from prison last year but still is not free. The CCP continues to watch Cao's every move, yet he continues to serve the Lord through a house church, daily prayer meetings, and a small Bible school — even baptizing new believers despite constant surveillance! Pastor Wang Yi is now six years into his nine-year prison sentence. Like Richard Wurmbrand, who founded The Voice of the Martyrs and wrote hundreds of sermons in his head during his 14 years in prison, Wang Yi has written three books in prison. Wang also continues to pray daily through more than a thousand items on his prayer list. If you'd like to write letters of encouragement to Christian prisoners or petition their governments, go to www.PrisonerAlert.com. Listen as Bob Fu shares how he stays personally encouraged despite constantly hearing of the sufferings of our spiritual family in China. He also suggests specific ways to pray for our Chinese Christian brothers and sisters. The Voice of the Martyrs recently launched a new, daily podcast; Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

When Hope first mentioned to her husband the idea of moving their family to the Arabian Peninsula to continue their gospel work, Nagy's reply was direct: “Never! Don't mention that country to me again!” It was a dangerous place for persecuted Christians. There were many questions and worries about moving there. But then God began to answer their questions, sooth their fears and confirm His call on Nagy and Hope, and their sons. Last week, Nagy and Hope told the story of their life and ministry in Libya, including after ISIS took over parts of the country. They also shared that the day when God told them to leave Libya—immediately. The family returned to their home country, asking the Lord, “Where would You have us serve next?” Nagy and Hope expected a quick answer; they still had their bags packed, ready to serve when the Lord revealed where He wanted them to go. But God didn't call them to another place for six years. At that time they wondered why; today it's clear God was preparing their family for what was to come. Listen to hear how God revealed to Hope the country in the Arabian Peninsula where He was sending them, a country that was “not on our radar.” She'll also share how she wrote down all the fears and worries she had about moving to that country—and how God answered her fears one-by-one, in the same order she'd written them down! Then God confirmed their call by revealing their destination to their sons, giving them also a clear sense of His calling. Listen as Nagy and Hope share the openness they've found among Muslims on the Arabian Peninsula, and the persecution faced by new Christian believers there. They'll also share specific ways you can pray for gospel workers in Libya and across the Middle East. The Voice of the Martyrs recently launched a new, daily podcast; Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Nagy and Hope grew up in the Middle East in families that followed Christ and encouraged them to serve God and be people of His Word. They were serving the Lord doing good work in their home country when they felt God's call to go to another county in the region: Libya. The transition was difficult and discouraging. They were forced to navigate a different community and expectations, and to learn a different Arabic dialect. With no fruit to be seen, Nagy and Hope were at times discouraged and disappointed. Yet God was working. After months of gospel work, one lady came to Hope asking questions about the gospel. Nagy and Hope were excited! They felt it was worth it to be in Libya if only one person came to Christ! Then their new friend was detained and interrogated. She cut off all contact with Hope. “It was hard,” Hope says, “but at the same time there was hope. Maybe the Lord would give us more opportunities.” The Lord did bring about more opportunities, but they didn't come without disappoints and hardship. Nagy and Hope will share more opportunities they had to disciple new believers and the obstacles they faced. When war broke out across Libya, the Lord still called them to stay, promising protection for their family and even their neighbors. God opened the hearts of many as they saw the Lord provide in their time of need. Listen as Nagy and Hope share when the Lord clearly told them their time in Libya was over and they had to leave. Please pray for Libya and for the continued ministry of gospel workers in that country. The first day of the new year marked the launch of a new, daily podcast from VOM. Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Today The Voice of the Martyrs launched a brand-new podcast: Extreme Devotion. Six days a week, Extreme Devotion will share a Scripture, a short story from a persecuted Christian, and an application thought. It's a great way to spend a little time each day being inspired by the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Every seventh day, the Extreme Devotion podcast will share one inspiring quote. Enjoy this very first episode of Extreme Devotion, and subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts

Last week we began a look back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2024. This week, we continue to remember: A Central Asian pastor, Brother Silas, tells how quickly new believers in Jesus there expect persecution. Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative, on making disciples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as churches are targeted by Islamists and terrorist groups. As conflict in the Middle East unfolded this year, Ben Barrett, who served as a leader in VOM's ministry in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, was reminded that our brothers and sisters there are people God has called us to serve. Brother Joshua, a pastor in Cuba, shares the price he and his family pay to share the gospel and serve the church even in the face of risks. Brother David, whose father is a pastor in Cuba, knew from a young age there was a price to pay for following Christ. Pastor “AZ,” from Kazakhstan, says the church there grew fastest during a wave of intense persecution. Sister Sara grew up in a Muslim family in Central Asia. She shares how God drew her to stories about Jesus then called her to make a decision to follow him. Hana shares thoughts about being reunited with her father, a pastor imprisoned in Eritrea for the past 20 years. Shino and Shania, ethnic Somalis and devout Muslims, came to faith in Christ after Shania had a dream. They became bold witnesses for Christ. After hearing these brief excerpts, you'll want to listen to the entire conversations with these guests. Click the links below or listen in the VOM APP. Brother Silas, a pastor in Central Asia Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative Ben Barrett Brother Joshua, a pastor in Cuba, and David, a Cuban pastor's son Pastor AZ from Kazakhstan Sister Sara, a Central Asian Christian Hana Mengisteab, daughter of pastor imprisoned in Eritrea for 20 years Shino & Shania, Somali Muslim Background Believers leading Somali Christian TV We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world! We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2024 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. NEW PODCAST BEGINS JANUARY 1! Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs coming in 2025. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

On January First, The Voice of the Martyrs will launch a brand-new podcast: Extreme Devotion. Six days a week, Extreme Devotion will share a Scripture, a short story from a persecuted Christian, and an application thought. It's a great way to spend a little time each day being inspired by the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Every seventh day, the Extreme Devotion podcast will share one inspiring quote. Enjoy this trailer episode for Extreme Devotion, and subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so that you'll be ready to begin on Day 1 as VOM launches the Extreme Devotion podcast on January 1. Here's the trailer episode for…Extreme Devotion.

This week, we look back on some of the most moving moments shared on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2024: Aaron Miller, VOM's Vice President of International Ministry, gives a glimpse of his time with an African ministry partner and an African word that describes how VOM serves persecuted Christians. Paul Dangtoumba, leader for YWAM's work in Nigeria, shares his own story of persecution even before he was born and scars he bears today. An expert in trauma care, Brother Philip serves as a field minister in Africa, helping VOM respond to the spiritual and emotional needs of persecuted Christians. Jeff Woodke served as a gospel and humanitarian worker in Niger until terrorists took him hostage. Jeff and his wife, Els, share their experiences during Jeff's six and a half years in captivity. On a visit to China, Brother Kevin and his family were told of the Hui people who had never heard of the gospel. God called them to go to the Hui, but as the Chinese government imposed more restrictions, their missionary work in China was forcibly ended. Luke and Kate served as medical gospel workers in Myanmar but were also forced to leave. They continue, from a distance, to see God bringing forth fruit. Hearing the gospel on a TV program, Brother Job came to faith. He was boldly sharing the good news via social media when he was kidnapped and threatened by terrorists. As a child, Pastor Nouh Yattara in Mali was drawn to the gospel by a simple gift of a ballpoint pen. He heard the gospel and decades later he still shares the hope he found as a child. After hearing these brief excerpts, you'll want to listen to the entire conversations with guests from 2024. Click on the links below to listen on VOMRADIO.net or listen in the VOM APP. Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at VOM Paul Dangtoumda, leader for YWAM's work in Nigeria Brother Philip, field minister in Africa for VOM Jeff Woodke, taken hostage by Islamic extremists, and his wife, Els Brother Kevin, missionary to the Hui people in China Luke and Kate, medical gospel workers to Myanmar (Burma) Brother Job, gospel worker in North Africa Nouh Yattara, pastor in Mali We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for faithfully listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world! We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2024 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. NEW PODCAST BEGINS JANUARY 1! Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs coming in 2025. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Dr. William Makis rejoins the program to discuss the verified increase in cancers occurring throughout the western world. He explains how his cancer protocol is being used in the top cancer medical institutions in the United States yet Canada shut him down and barred him from practicing. He is still being persecuted by the Canadian government despite the proven effectiveness of his treatment.You can follow and support his work on his Substack at https://makismd.substack.com/

With Prime Minister Modi's reelection, India has continued on the path to more restrictions against Christian ministry and gospel work. Christian persecution has moved from the village or community level to the national-government level under Modi's direction. Because of these changes, earlier this year The Voice of the Martyrs changed how India is classified, from hostile area to restricted nation, a place where the government is the driver of persecution against Christians. Despite increasing persecution for Christians in India, our faithful brothers and sisters there serve the Lord—no matter the circumstances. Brother Vijay, a gospel worker from India, joins VOM Radio this week to share how Indian Christians are responding to stricter anti-conversion laws and other increasing persecution. Thousands of Christian ministries have been closed and/or had bank accounts frozen, forcing persecuted Christians to develop creative ways to continue ministry. By staying the course, they demonstrate, “Our ministry is not dependent on money, but on God.” Currently, at least 11 Indian states are enforcing strict anti-conversion laws. Some of those laws carry the threat of life sentences and hefty fines. Vijay will share stories of bold pastors persisting in their ministry after experiencing imprisonment — and one even after being thrown off a moving train! With all these pressures, Brother Vijay explains the preparation to prepare pastors should they end up in prison, and how learning the Bible is the greatest tool for Christians facing trials. Pray for Christians in India that they would be encouraged and remain hopeful amidst increasing persecution. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. COMING IN 2025: Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a new short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs, which will begin on January 1. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

It didn't take long. When Shino and Shania began showing their faces in their Somali-language Christian videos on the internet and using their real names, the response was immediate. Their videos were shown all over the world, and the persecuted Christian couple were called apostates and enemies of Islam. Their lives were repeatedly threatened. Since they went public about their faith in 2016, Shino and Shania have had to move from house to house and country to country. Threats are constant, but God's protection has been constant as well. By God's grace, they are still broadcasting and sharing their faith with Somalis. “Look around.” Shania sensed God telling her early on in their ministry, “I am building my church among the Somalis. No one can stop it, and now is the time.” Today, thousands of Somali people know their number and follow them on social media at Somali Christian TV. Last week, Shania shared how the Lord drew her to himself and about the four years she prayed for her Muslim husband, who eventually came to Christ as well. This week the couple shares how their online ministry encourages Somalis all over the world, especially in Somalia where Christians are isolated due to Christian persecution, lack of churches and the difficulty of getting Bibles.   Listen as Shino & Shania share feedback from former Muslims who used to hate and threaten them. They will also share how they continue to train new leaders and prepare others for persecution when it comes. Pray for the nation of Somalia this week and for Shino and Shania's continued ministry. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.

[SEGMENT 2-1] Positive Disconfirmation 1 What have an amazing opportunity over the next four years, and it should be part of our strategy to change the Trump haters. It's happened before. In 2016, when many Republicans didn't support Trump. You've heard me discuss this, as I mentioned my brother and one of my most trusted advisers, neither of whom voted for Trump. But both recanted within months of Trump's presidency. While the cabal hates progress, their minions really do like cheap gasoline and food. And while they may be zealots for climate change or the equivalent nonsense, they can be persuaded. And here's why. The concept of "positive disconfirmation" originates from expectation-disconfirmation theory in psychology. This theory suggests that people form expectations about an outcome, and their satisfaction depends on how the actual experience compares to those expectations. In positive disconfirmation, when something turns out better than expected, it leads to satisfaction and sometimes even delight. Applied to voters skeptical of President Trump, positive disconfirmation would occur if these voters anticipate negative outcomes but instead experience surprisingly favorable results, potentially reshaping their perception. This shift could lead to a psychological phenomenon called "attitude alignment," where repeated exposure to unexpectedly positive experiences might foster warmer or more favorable attitudes over time. Studies show that positive disconfirmation can be powerful in politics, particularly when an individual's expectations are emotionally charged. If, for example, a voter strongly dislikes a candidate but later observes that candidate achieving positive outcomes (such as economic growth or other issues of personal importance), this effect can lead to cognitive reevaluation and sometimes a softened or even positive reassessment of that candidate. For more details, see sources like:Oliver, Richard L. Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the ConsumerAnderson, Eugene W., and Mary W. Sullivan. "The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction for firms." [SEGMENT 2-2] Positive Disconfirmation 2 Let's look at all the things they said about Trump   [X] SB – Media mashup Shoot visitors to the WH Violence on J6 Illegal to run against him Shut down media Furor, salute Martial law, rewrite Constitution Interment camps, GITMO Minority groups, family None of us are safe Assassinate generals Order military to kill citizens Unravel democracy Hitler, Mussolini Senate House paralyzed Self-censoring Democracy is dead Destruction of the DOJ, curb transgender rights Persecute his enemies, wrecking ball to the rule of law Purge the government of employees            [SEGMENT 2-3] Positive Disconfirmation 3   [X] SB – Within 48 hours of Trump's win Appoints woman COS Taliban wants peace with America Putin talks Mexico securing border Saudi kicks out Hamas EU asked to buy LNG from America Hamas asked for end to war Term limits for Congress Positive disconfirmation can lead to “attitude alignment”. We have the opportunity for Leftists to come to the conclusion on their own just how sick they are… [X] SB – Former Leftist on TDS Didn't like him until 6 months ago Assassination attempt woke her up Thought she knew what was going on. She genuinely thought she was informed  [SEGMENT 2-4] Positive Disconfirmation 4 Triggered when questioned. Didn't know policies or politics. Humbling to be wrong. Defensive Didn't want to be wrong If you're only exposed to that.     The thing I find most interesting post election is how Democrats refuse to process what happened. No soul-searching, only MORE blame of the majority of the people not voting for them. I find it hard to imagine people Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-kevin-jackson-show--2896352/support.

“Pastor Joe” was drawn to North Africa not by a call to gospel work but by his own dreams and interests. However, once he was there the Lord opened his eyes to the needs of the people and gave Joe a deep love for them. Ministry in North Africa is difficult, but as Pastor Joe and his family read the Bible, they see that it's not about them. Rather it's all about Christ. “We are just the instruments,” says Joe. “We don't count on ourselves; we count on God.” As Muslims seek spiritual truth and come to Christ, they encounter challenges with unbelieving family and friends. Pastor Joe says that's why the church is so important to help make up for the family and community new believers have lost by connecting them with new brothers and sisters in Christ. One young lady had a difficult time approaching her family with the gospel message. Joe encouraged her to focus on living out Jesus' love in front of her family members. Soon, her mother became curious: who was behind the changes she saw in her daughter's life? Pastor Joe also tells the story of a brother who never misses church gatherings. He says, “I lost so much time not knowing Jesus! Now I want to learn as much as possible.” Joe's wife always says, “There's no mission without sacrifice.” The couple are ready to answer questions about Jesus and Christianity from anyone who is seeking, although proselytizing is illegal in the restricted nation where they live. Hear more stories from Pastor Joe and how he prepares new believers to face Christian persecution. He will also share the joy and hope that come as faithful believers live their lives for Christ on display to the people around them. Pray for Christians in North Africa and for Pastor Joe and his family as they continue their gospel work.  Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

Fred and Karen, long-time gospel workers in Asia, share this week about the church in Brunei and the challenges they face daily to live boldly for Christ. Christians there can live comfortably—if they don't share the gospel or attempt to witness to ethnic Malay people. Ethnically, the church there is primarily made up of Chinese, Indians and other expats. It is illegal for ethnic Malay people to be present in a church, and many Christians are hesitant to speak about Christianity to a Malay person for fear of Christian persecution. With such strong repercussions for a Malay person following Christ, and for those who shared the gospel with that person, some Christians in Brunei have the mentality that the Malay will never choose Jesus. The government, which censors information through every medium, always displays Islam in an attractive light—even publishing the names of Christians or people of other faiths who convert to Islam. There are financial and other enticements for non-Muslims to convert—and for Muslims to continue following Islam. Listen as Fred and Karen share the story of a Muslim entering the house of a friend and seeing a Bible; the story illustrates the strong resistance Malay Muslims have toward anything Christian. Pray for God to move in the hearts of Malay Muslims, revealing himself in dreams and visions to them. Pray against the spirit of fear that has fallen on many within the church in Brunei. You may even want to book a plane ticket to go personally to pray on the ground in Brunei. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

Middle East Concern was founded in 1991, in response to needs expressed by Christian leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. Through a network of ministry partners, Middle East Concern seeks to help Christians facing persecution across the Middle East and North Africa. They work to come up with strategies to improve conditions and protect rights of Christians with a goal of seeing Christians able to live out their faith in Christ freely. Brother Rob, a researcher for MEC, shares with VOM Radio this week about his work and about persecution faced by Christians in the MENA region. One of Rob's areas of interest is Iran, and he will tell us about recent large-scale research that shows how many Iranians are questioning and even rejecting Islam since the Islamic Revolution. Many of those have become followers of Jesus Christ—despite the risk of persecution. Rob also tells how God is bringing good out of Christian persecution in Türkiye (formerly Turkey) as Turkish Christian leaders are stepping up to shepherd the church after the expulsions of numerous foreign Christians. The Turkish government's strategy since 2019 has been to designate Christians from other countries living in turkey as a “threat to national security” and force them to leave, causing upheaval to many families who've lived there for decades. David Byle was one of those pushed out of Türkiye after fighting the expulsion order through the court system. Israel is another country where Rob monitors religious freedom and you'll hear about challenges to gospel outreach there. Brother Rob will also share how we can pray for Israel, including Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza, as there is so much conflict there. “The Christian community in this part of the world,” says Rob, “are the light and salt in these lands.” Prayer is the central part of the ministry at Middle East Concern as they continue to seek God's wisdom in each sensitive situation. Learn how you can pray specifically for Christians in Israel, Iran and Türkiye as Rob shares the needs of the church in these nations. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

J.D. Bridges, Vice President of Global Outreach for Ligonier Ministries, tells us this week about Ligonier's efforts to produce content and teaching materials to defend and teach the holiness of God—not only to American Christians but to Christians around the world, including persecuted Christians in hostile areas and restricted nations. Since 1971, when R.C. Sproul founded the ministry in the Ligonier Valley of western Pennsylvania, Ligonier has continued to produce more and more Biblical content. As people from other nations discovered the work and requested resources in their own languages, Ligonier's international efforts have grown. Creating a strategy for translation and dubbing, Bridges and his team are focusing on the top twenty languages around the world—which creates the potential to access 80% of the world's population with gospel materials and theology training. God has opened doors to provide resources in Chinese, Urdu, Hindi, Indonesian, Farsi and many other languages. Out of 5,000,000 pastors around the world, only 5-10% have any theological education. Listen as J.D. shares his heart to create more opportunities for more people to freely engage with Biblical content and how Ligonier works to equip pastors and churches. “For us the first impulse is to equip the pastor…because we know that the church will benefit,” he says. Bridges tells of the difficulties in translating theological concepts into a new language for the first time and the most important thing he gets to do as he builds relationships with persecuted Christians and how Ligonier uses many different and creative angles to provide these tools to Christians in places like China, Iran, Pakistan and other restricted nations. Pray for God's blessings on continued translation work and distribution efforts. Also, check out the Things Unseen Podcast from Ligonier for thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

Sister Sara wrestled with faith questions as she studied Christianity, Islam and other religions in a years-long quest for truth. Last week, Sara shared her struggle to understand and believe how Jesus could be God—a common stumbling block for Muslims hearing the gospel message. Listen this week to hear what happened after she received forgiveness of sin through Christ—and how you can pray for her and other Christians living and ministering in Central Asia. As soon as Sara read Matthew 28:18-19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” she gathered her words to tell others the gospel. Her first effort was sharing the hope of Christ with her family. Sara tells how her family responded and explains the importance of discipleship resources, written in local heart languages, to train up new Christians in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Sara worked to learn how to share the gospel in her own language—and then began learning to explain Jesus' love in other languages as well. “People need God, but they just didn't know it.” Sara says. It was only a short time into her outreach ministry when Sara first experienced pushback. God reminded her that Jesus faced persecution with humility and that is the model Sara tries to follow when opposition arises. Her own family's responses to her Christian faith reminded her that she couldn't save anyone herself but had to trust God to do the work, and to trust his timing. When Sara reads of historic missionaries who went to the difficult places, she asks, “Why don't we go there sooner? The harvest is plenty and ready!” Pray the Lord will raise up gospel workers and evangelists to preach the gospel in Central Asia. Pray that, as these workers face Christian persecution, they would be faithful to Jesus even in difficulty and suffering. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the podcast.

As a young woman in an Islamic culture in Central Asia, Sara was drawn to stories of Jesus. He was a good man, she thought, one whose life matched his teachings. But how could Jesus be God? Sara wrestled deeply with this question in her search for truth. Intellectually, she found the Bible to be true, but she couldn't commit to everything it said. Eternal life was attractive, but the idea that Jesus was God was confusing to her. Sara poured herself into studying different religions, desperate to figure out how she could be confident she'd go to heaven when she died. She prayed, “God, there should be only one way to you.” Sara loved the Bible study she joined at a local church. She was attracted by the love Christians had for each other, even being willing to share their weaknesses and struggles. Everything about Jesus and his followers was attractive to Sara. After so much study and so many questions, Sara heard God's voice—speaking to her in her own language. “You need to make a decision.” She knew it was God himself speaking with love, authority, gentleness, and power. Sara remembered reading John 14:6 where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and they life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Listen to hear how Sara came to understand Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for her sin and the peace he gave to overcome her anxieties. Join us next week to hear the price Sara paid for her faith in Christ. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

This month we are commemorating the 10th Anniversary of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. This week we look back on one of the most powerful conversations ever shared on VOM Radio airwaves. Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet providing vocational training to local people and sharing the gospel. She felt God's call especially to work among Tibet's nomadic tribal people. Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who'd been completely closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus! But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution. Chinese police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells how the Holy Spirit strengthened and spoke to her and how God brought Amber from a place of terror to the point of expressing Christ's love, even to the men violently persecuting her. “I never felt Jesus so close,” she says. God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber surrounded by five policemen in a room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation! It also contained a ray of spiritual hope. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber's thoughts on how the New Testament speaks of the “honor” of being persecuted; she'll also give first-hand advice on how to pray for Christians in prison right now. Learn how you can pray every day for persecuted Christians like Amber who are imprisoned in hostile and restricted nations. And never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.